1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a feeding mechanism, more particularly to a feeding mechanism for a woodworking machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a woodworking machine that comprises a worktable 1 for supporting a workpiece 103 thereon and having a workpiece feeding side 101 and a workpiece discharge side 102 opposite to the workpiece feeding side 101, a pair of parallel slide rails 2 disposed respectively on the workpiece feeding side 101 and the workpiece discharge side 102 of the worktable 1, a cutter 3 provided on the worktable 1, a fence 4 extending across the worktable 1 and slidable along the slide rails 2, and a conventional feeder 5 mounted on the worktable 1. The fence 4 has an abutment surface 401 that permits the workpiece 103 to abut thereagainst. The conventional feeder 5 includes a support stand 6 mounted securely on the worktable 1 and disposed at one side of the fence 4, a horizontal arm 7 extending from a top end of the supporting stand 6, a vertical arm 8 connected to one end of the horizontal arm 7 opposite to the supporting stand 6, and a driving unit 9 connected to the vertical arm 8. The driving unit 9 includes a housing 901, a plurality of feeding rollers 903 disposed in the housing 901, and a motor 902 for driving the feeding rollers 903 to rotate. When the woodworking machine is in use, the workpiece 103 is placed on the worktable 1 with a side surface thereof abutting against the abutment surface 401 of the fence 4 and a top surface thereof being in frictional contact with the feeding rollers 903 of the driving unit 9, and the feeding rollers 903 are driven to rotate to thereby move the workpiece 103 on the worktable 1 from the workpiece feeding side 101 toward the workpiece discharge side 102.
However, since the driving unit 9 of the feeding unit 5 is relatively heavy, the supporting stand 6 and therefore the part of the worktable 1 connected to the supporting stand 6 have a tendency to be pulled upwardly by the driving unit 9 via the horizontal arm 7. Such tendency may result in inclination of the worktable 1. Moreover, since the supporting stand 6 is fixed on the worktable 1, the distance travelled by is limited.